Specifically the invention is concerned with a coextruded product comprising a central body of whole-muscle meat, an outer layer, usually fatty, surrounding the whole-muscle body and an outer casing of plastics or similar non-toxic material. Whole muscle meat is meat from a dismantled carcass with the muscle scaffold network substantially intact. A process and apparatus for making this product is described in our E-P-A 0,024,790. The whole-muscle pieces are loaded into one hopper of a coextrusion device and fatty material into the other. The whole-muscle body and the outer fatty layer are coextruded into a casing dispensed from stock surrounding the extrusion head.
It should be appreciated that the whole-muscle pieces are often of substantial size so when compressed and generally distorted in the extrusion passages become highly energised. It is thus surprising that such energised material could be effectively coextruded into an elongate billet of consistent shape with the outer layer unbroken.
We are aware of multiple layer coextruded products in the prior art. Such processes can be exemplified by FR-A-2,274,221. Here a product, principally for confectionery purposes, comprises a cylindrical body 2 with an outer layer 1 and an inner core 3. This product is made of components which are homogenous or can readily be rendered so and as stated in E-P-A 0,024,790 the coextrusion of such materials does not present a problem.